How do I care for a newborn kitten?
Quick answer
A newborn kitten needs three things above all else: warmth, frequent feeding, and help going to the bathroom.
The full answer
For the first three weeks it cannot regulate its own body temperature, cannot see or hear well, and cannot urinate or defecate without stimulation from its mother, or from you. If the mother is present and healthy, let her do most of this work and step in only if she rejects the kitten or her milk is insufficient.
Warmth comes first
Keep the kitten in a small box or carrier lined with soft towels, with a heating pad set on low under only half of the box so it can crawl away if it gets too hot. Aim for roughly 29 to 32 degrees Celsius (85 to 90 Fahrenheit) during the first week, about 27 Celsius (80 Fahrenheit) in the second week, and 24 Celsius (75 Fahrenheit) by the third.
A cold kitten cannot digest food, which is why warming always comes before feeding. If a kitten feels cool to the touch, warm it gradually using your own body heat or a wrapped warm pack, and contact a vet. Never put a hot water bottle directly against the skin, and never use a hair dryer.
Feeding: what, how much and how often
Use a commercial kitten milk replacer only. Cow's milk is not a substitute and commonly causes diarrhoea. Bottle-feed every two hours around the clock during week one, every three hours in weeks two and three, and every four hours by week four.
Hold the bottle at about a 45 degree angle with the kitten on its belly, never on its back, and let it nurse slowly so it does not inhale milk. A kitten this age takes roughly 2 to 5 ml per feeding. Stop when the belly is gently rounded but not tight, and stop immediately if milk bubbles from the nose.
Helping the kitten eliminate
After every feeding, wipe the kitten's rear with a warm, damp cotton ball in small circles until it urinates and defecates. This mimics the mother's licking and is essential, because a kitten that cannot eliminate becomes dangerously ill within a day.
The first stools are soft and yellowish. Pay attention to colour and consistency: very loose, bloody or absent stools, or a kitten that cries while you stimulate it, all warrant a call to the vet.
Weighing and tracking growth
Weigh the kitten every morning at the same time on a kitchen scale that reads in grams, and write the number down. Steady weight gain is the single best sign that feeding is working.
Expect roughly 10 to 15 grams of gain per day in the early weeks. A flat or falling weight means the kitten is not getting enough milk, is too cold, or is unwell. Take the written record to the vet rather than describing the trend from memory.
Hygiene, bedding and handling
Change the bedding daily and keep the box spotless, because newborns are highly vulnerable to infection. Handle the kitten gently and briefly, supporting the whole body with one hand under the chest and one under the hindquarters.
Warmth, feeding and sleep are the priorities in the first weeks; long cuddling sessions come later. If other cats live in the home, keep them away from the kitten until a vet confirms it is healthy, and wash your hands before and after handling.
Danger signs that need a vet now
Call a veterinarian immediately if the kitten feels cold, refuses to eat, cries nonstop, has diarrhoea, or loses weight. In a newborn these are emergencies, not things to watch overnight.
Ask your vet about deworming, which usually starts at about two weeks of age, and about the vaccination schedule that follows. For orphaned kittens, also ask when to begin weaning, which is typically at three to four weeks with softened kitten food.